“Confessions of an Overweight Adult”

by | Aug 16, 2015 | Uncategorized

I’ve pretty much been ‘heavy set’ my entire life although I prefer the term fat! I mean, really, let’s call it what it is. You can mask it all different ways but it’s all fat! Fat is the last bastion of legal prejudice. See, people can still use your size to ‘keep you out.’ For example: Potential employers can not hire you saying you are a health risk. Airlines can charge you for 2 seats. And lastly, people feel free to just say whatever they want under the guise of ‘it’s for your own good.’ So what kind of things are for your own good? Let me give you a list of things I’ve found offensive: You have such a pretty face….(it means: you COULD be really pretty if you matched an ideal!) Have you thought about going on a diet? (Every fat person is aware of their size. They don’t need to be reminded. And, guess what, sometimes their weight has nothing to do with diet. Many kinds of medications have weight gain side effects. Some have other medical conditions that prevent any kind of weight loss. In other words, what seems obvious may not really be. Shut up until you know for sure! You’re ‘help’ can set one back in terms of their self confidence) If you just exercised more, I’m sure you could be thinner! (Again, the obvious isn’t always a fact. You have no idea by looking. So, again, keep it to yourself!) Have you always been ‘heavy?’ (How is this relevant? I think the thought process behind this is that if you weren’t before...

Tips for Good Texting Etiquette

by | Aug 16, 2015 | Uncategorized

Texting is a very useful way of communicating. It is more accessible than email and is instantaneous. It allows you to send notes of limited size that the recipient can respond to immediately with minimal disruption. You can send just a little blurb, or instruction, or you can carry on an entire conversation. This allows people to relay information rapidly, and can save time when one needs a simple answer, and can avoid the time wasted engaging in the protocols involved with even a brief telephone conversation. However, texting does have its downfalls. It is often misused, or poorly timed, creating uncomfortable social situations, or minor distractions that can have fatal results. It is not only important to remember the social implications of a text conversation, but the issues of physical safety when operating equipment or a motor vehicle. The distraction of texting has produced countless auto accidents that have resulted in serious injuries and death. That momentary reaction to a text or a tweet can create fatally hazardous conditions. What and How to Text • Be mindful of who you are speaking to. Not everyone uses the modern text shorthand more commonly known as ‘Text-speak’. It can be annoying to spell everything out, but there is a great possibility that the other person cannot understand your abbreviations, and there is no point in sending a text that the recipient cannot understand. Younger people should especially keep this in mind when texting with people of older generations. As a general rule, one should use formal English when texting, unless it is with someone with whom you are very familiar,...

Effects on Brain Function by Addictive Substances

by | Aug 16, 2015 | Uncategorized

Brain activity is a result of nerves firing or not firing in binary fashion. It is similar to the functioning of computers, where complicated processes are described with a series of 0’s and 1’s. After the nerves fire, neurotransmitters must be removed from the area in order to turn the signal off. Two possible ways are available for the removal of the neurotransmitters; either an enzyme destroys the chemical or it is pumped back into a nerve by using another chemical called a transport pump. The process of pumping chemicals back is known as reuptake. Alcohol work similarly to all psychoactive compounds, like neurotransmitters, hormones, addictive drugs and medications. Alcohol and other chemicals work as a key that fit into a specific lock, and opens a door for further communication. Alcohol works on both the motor and sensory components of the brain, and has multiple neurotransmitter effects, although it does have a receptor that is specifically designed for it. This is not unique to alcohol, since opiates have opiate receptors, and marijuana has marijuana receptors, which means that the body produces chemicals with similar activity. Certain brain areas are particularly sensitive to the effects of alcohol. The neurotransmitters affected by alcohol include gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA), glutamate, serotonin, dopamine and endogenous opiates. These neurotransmitters are involved in the alcohol’s short and long-term effects, including intoxication, withdrawal and possibly addiction. GABA is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter of the brain, which is responsible for dampening and inhibiting brain activity. The increase of GABA leads to a decrease of motor tension and anxiety, and increases sedation and sleep. Alcohol strengthens the effect...

Why is it so Difficult for Some Gay Men to Find a Partner?

by | Aug 16, 2015 | Uncategorized

We all know men who seem like they would be such a good catch, and yet they seem to be always single. Why? 1. Some gay men have been sexually abused as children. They probably don’t share that information easily, and probably with few friends. These men don’t trust anybody. This is a common response for anyone who has been sexually abused, not just gay men. So these men don’t have a highly developed sense of who to pick, who might be a “safe” person. They unconsciously feel that everyone will hurt them. It is very difficult, if not impossible for a gay man who hasn’t had therapy on the abuse, to maintain a successful intimate relationship. These same gay men may also be the ones who have battled addiction, or are still battling addiction, to continue the abuse unconsciously. These gay men with a history of sexual abuse as children may be highly successful, and pillars of the community. They also may be in service to others, while never really addressing their own deep-seated wounds. They may also be especially charming and delightful to chat with about many topics. They seldom discuss topics that would border abuse issues, and if those issues are discussed in their presence, they often seem unusually uncomfortable. These men can be saddled with eating disorders to unconsciously mask their pain, or they may be unbelievably fit, seeking perfection physically. Perfection is often a theme for this man, and that is difficult for others to deal with. 2. Some gay men have diagnosed or undiagnosed Mood Disorders, like ADHD, or Depression. The fact that...

Visible Symptoms of Several Commonly Abused Drugs

by | Aug 16, 2015 | Uncategorized

You may have a friend, family member, or co-worker who has had an erratic change in behavior lately. This does not mean that he or she is abusing drugs, but could have a lack of sleep, be ill, or have experienced a traumatic event. This information below is for those of you who do suspect drug abuse. Use this information only as a guideline. Do not confront the potential drug abuser. You may want to engage the help of a professional to help you deal with this issue if it is a family member. A co-worker may need to be reported to the manager or director. There is help available, though. In general, symptoms of drug usage do not pop out alone, and usually there is more than one symptom that you will be able to notice. Depending on a person’s body structure, age, and gender, different symptoms will show up in a different order, strength and combination. Also, every drug has its own set of symptoms that reveals its influence on the human body. Here’s a brief coverage of specific symptoms that characterize certain kinds of drugs: Marijuana: Glassy, red eyes; loud talking and inappropriate laughter followed by sleepiness; a sweet burnt scent; loss of interest, motivation; weight gain or loss. Alcohol: Clumsiness; difficulty walking; slurred speech; sleepiness; poor judgment; dilated pupils; possession of a false ID card (of course this is common among teens.) Depressants: (including barbiturates and tranquilizers) Seems drunk as if from alcohol, but without the associated odor of alcohol; difficulty concentrating; clumsiness; poor judgment; slurred speech; sleepiness; and contracted pupils. Stimulants: Hyperactivity; euphoria; irritability;...

“School Conflicts for LGBTQ Youth”

by | Aug 16, 2015 | Uncategorized

LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning) youth often avoid school due to the lack of feeling safe there. School avoidance is often a predictor of later dropping out, and limits opportunities for further education and a stable future. (Darwich et al, 2012) These teens are often verbally or physically abused during their high school years, based on their orientation. Harassment can lead to dropping out of school, which reduces their chances of having a good career. (Kaufman, 2008) School personnel should ensure that all students have equal access to education and mental health services. The climate of the school is particularly important, because questioning and undisclosed LGBTQ youth are not identified for services, but they do require support. They may not ask for help due to fear of being harassed or hurt. (Hansen, 2007) LGBTQ youth feel often lonely and ostracized. The age of adolescence comes with an increased reliance on peer support and friendships. Unfortunately, this kind of support is often missing for LGBTQ youth. Social isolation and marginalization in the school environment are harmful for LGBTQ students. Negative school experiences, such as harassment, verbal or physical abuse, isolation or rejection not only damage social relations, but can have a negative effect on academic achievement as well. According to one study, 53% of LGBTQ students experience a drop in grades, and 28% of them dropped out of school. On the contrary, 20% of them experienced an improvement in academic performance, and they had better grades after coming out. Other studies found that the majority of LGBTQ students excelled in school, only a minority of them reported problems...

“Hints for Parents of Depressed Children”

by | Aug 16, 2015 | Uncategorized

Depressed children and teenagers are very vulnerable and often very difficult to handle. Parents and siblings need to learn how to deal with them. Here are some ways in which parents, caretakers, siblings and teachers can handle depressed children: • Learn about depression: Parents ought to do research, and know everything about depression in order to recognize the signs of depression early. The earlier the parents know about depression, the better they will know how to react and help their children deal with depression. • Parent-child talk: This is perhaps the most important of the things a parent needs to do in order to understand their children better. Parents should encourage their children to open up and talk to them about their feelings, as concealed thoughts are the harbinger for depressed moods. Even if the child has not been diagnosed with depression, it is useful for parents to talk to their children about a wide range of issues, including sexuality. • Emotional support to the depressed children: Children with depression are easily irritable and therefore are easily angered. Most of them feel awkward to talk or consult their parents concerning their problems. Parents ought to wear an “approachable face,” remain calm, but firm and fair, and yet considerate and consistent to not lose control. These children cannot handle false accusations, and therefore if a parent is wrong about anything concerning the child’s behavior, it is better to admit it. • Active as opposed to passive listening: It is said that “a problem shared is a problem half-solved.” This is true in teenagers who are depressed. They do look for...

“Is your Doctor an Addict?”

by | Aug 16, 2015 | Uncategorized

The website Impaired Physicians, reports a rate of 13-15% of alcohol dependence among physicians. 15% of them abuse drugs, and up to 20% suffer from major depression or bipolar disorder. According to the data of Serebrenic Jungerman et al (2012), anesthesiologists most often abuse alcohol (50%), but their misuse of anesthetic agents is a greater concern among them. These substances have high dependence potential, and the consequences of use are often fatal. The most common drugs they abuse are opiates (33%, such as fentanyl and sufentanil, propofol and inhalation anesthetics, but also stimulants (8%) and other substances (9%). They report impairment among physicians to be at 10 to 12%. According to estimates, 14% of the doctors become addicted to alcohol or drugs during their professional life. A study with 904 participating physicians who were monitored for drug abuse, reported that more than half of them were from five specialties; namely family medicine, anesthesiology, internal medicine, psychiatry and emergency medicine. A study examining anesthesiology residency programs between 1991 and 2001 reported that 80% of the programs had experience with impaired residents, and 19% of them reported at least one fatality. Although preventive strategies exist, the mortality rate is still between 10 and 19%. According to Lembke (2012), there are 2.4 million opioid abusers in the United States. Physicians, who often know that the patients abuse these medications, prescribe sixty percent of the substances. Scottish data shows an increase in the problematic use of opiates and benzodiazepines. The prevalence in the general population is 2%. The guidelines of UK Department of Health acknowledge the complex needs of illicit drug users and...